Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.

Coming up on our program this morning...

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with his Turkmen counterpart, with the two agreeing to establish a strategic relationship.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has hailed a "golden decade" in a speech to the China-ASEAN expo taking place in Guangxi.

The Obama administration has begun its push to try to convince the US Congress to green-light military action in Syria.

Business... it's being reported the Guangdong Free Trade Zone is poised to go to the State Council for approval soon.

Sports... Li Na into the semi-finals at the US Open.

Entertainment... Scarlett Johansen's new film has premiered at the Venice Film Festival.

First, let's check on what's happening on the weather front...

 

 

Weather

 

 

Beijing will see moderate rain today, with a high of 22 degree Celsius in the daytime, and it will see moderate rain tonight with a low of 17.

In Shanghai, it will be cloudy today, 29 the high, and it will be cloudy tonight, the low of 23 degrees Celsius.

Lhasa will be cloudy in the daytime the temperature's at 20, and tonight will also have thundershowers with a low of 10 degree Celsius.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia

Islamabad, sunny, 33.

Kabul, sunny, with a high of 30.

And in North America

New York, overcast, with a high of 27 degrees.

Washington, overcast , highs of 29

Houston, thundershowers, 35.

Honolulu, sunny, 31.

Toronto, overcast, 21

Finally, on to South America,

Buenos Aires, sunny, 15.

And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with highs of 32 degrees Celsius.

 

BackAnchor：

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Top News

 

 

China, Turkmenistan lift bilateral ties to strategic partnership

 

The Chinese government has upgraded its relationship with Turmenistan.

Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkmen counterpart have agreed to expand their bilateral ties to a strategic level.

"We have signed a joint declaration on establishing a strategic partnership between the China and Turkmenistan, which marks that the bilateral relations have stepped up into a new phase and will see a broader prospect in the future."

Xi Jinping and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdy-mukha-medov are suggesting that no matter the changes in the regional situation, the relationship between the two countries remains a foreign policy priority.

China and Turkmenistan set up diplomatic ties in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The two Presidents have also reaffirmed their plans to enhance law enforcement cooperation.

Xi Jinping has made the stop in Turkmenistan as part of his current tour of Central Asia, which will also take him to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Chinese President is also due to make a stop in St. Petersberg, Russia later this week for the G20 Summit.

 

 

China's relations with four central Asian nations

 

For more on China's relationship with central Asian and this county's role in the G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, CRI's Zheng Chenguang earlier spoke to Еkaterina Koldunova, Vice-Dean of the School of Political Affairs at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Back Anchor:

Еkaterina Koldunova, Vice-Dean of the School of Political Affairs at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.

 

 

China to enhance strategic cooperation with ASEAN: Chinese premier

 

Anchor:

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has delivered the keynote speech to the official opening of the China-ASEAN Expo in Guangxi's capital, Nanning.

CRI's Cao Yuwei has the details.

Reporter:

The "Golden decade" is what Chinese Premiere Li Keqiang has said of the past ten years of cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.

He says bilateral trade volume has increased fivefold and the scale of cross-investment expanding threefold.

Li Keqiang also believes that both sides have the ability to build a "Diamond decade."

"We shall carry on what we've been doing and look into the future. This is a new historical starting point, to seek new strategic breakthrough. Based on enhancing mutual political trust, and with open and inclusive attitude, we will seek more pragmatic cooperation and let our strategic partnership to grow further. Since we have the ability to create the 'golden decades', we can also see a 'Diamond Decade.'"

He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the tenth China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning.

Myanmar president U Thein Sein says China has become the biggest trading partner of ASEAN countries.

"In the past decade, ASEAN and China has developed the original friendly partnership of mutual trust into a strategic partnership, which we all cherish and are dedicated to enhance. Now, China is the biggest trading partner of ASEAN, and ASEAN is the third largest of it to China. We would like to see more economic cooperation of both sides."

Thein Sein is among visiting leaders from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Cambodia.

Although economic cooperation is the main talking point, Li Keqiang has also touched upon the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

He believes the dispute could be solved through negotiation.

"The Chinese government is a responsible government, it is ready to seek solutions through friendship and friendly consultation. We believe that the disputes in the South China Sea are not issues between China and ASEAN and should not affect the broader interests of China and ASEAN relations."

More than 23-hundred companies attending the China-ASEAN Expo.

The Expo, along with a China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit is running until Friday.

For CRI, I'm Cao Yuwei.

 

 

Technical Cooperations Highlights China-ASEAN Expo

 

Anchor:

A forum highlighting technical cooperation has been held at the China-ASEAN Expo currently underway in Guangxi's capital Nanning.

CRI's Marc Cavigli has more.

Reporter:

Over 20 technological cooperation deals, including the application of China's Beidou navigation satellite system, have been signed at the forum.

The signings follow the opening of a China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center.

The center has been set up to beef up technology exchanges between China and ASEAN member countries.

Wan Gang, China's Minister of Science and Technology, says the center will promote technological exchanges on a business-to-business level.

"The objective of the transfer center is to provide a network for technological integration between China and ASEAN. The center will facilitate technological cooperation between companies based on their individual needs. It will also work to promote the collaborative innovation between China and ASEAN members."

Ye Bo is the Deputy Executive Director of the technology transfer center.

"Based on the needs of ASEAN member states, we will help the ASEAN companies, research institutes and universities to locate their suitable technology partners here in China. And also arrange meetings for them to come to China for further talks. Meanwhile, we can also help Chinese organizations to visit their potential partners in ASEAN member states. "

Guangxi-based Jian Solar Energy is one of the companies that has signed a technology transfer deal with a Vietnamese company at the forum.

Jian Solar's Lu Junhang says the techology center should help his company identify more partners among ASEAN countries.

"We are transferring our technology to help the company to improve their capacity. We also have a technological cooperation deal with them. For example if their heat insulating material is not efficient enough, we can provide them with our material which is also more environmental friendly. Recently the prospect of solar energy companies is quite harsh. But in Vietnam, the government shows a strong support for the sector. And a technology transfer center like this can help us to gain more opportunities to exchange our technologies with other companies."

So far, over 400 companies have signed up for the technology pairing service.

Telecom giant Huawei and web portal Sohu are among them.

150 of them are from ASEAN countries.

For CRI, I'm Marc Cavigli.

 

 

Obama won backing from US lawmakers to strike Syria

 

Anchor:

The Obama administration has begun its lobbying of the US Congress to try to get its support for military action in Syria.

CRI's Marc Cavigli has more.

Reporter:

US Secretary of State John Kerry, along with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the Chai of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, have been testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Kerry has told the Senate Committee President Barack Obama is not asking America to go to war.

"We all agree there will be no American boots on the ground. The President has made crystal clear we have no intention of assuming responsibility for Syria's civil war. He is asking only for the power to make clear, to make certain, that the United States means what we say, that the world, when we join together in a multi-lateral statement, mean what we say. He is asking for authorisation to degrade and deter Bashar al-Assad's capacity to use chemical weapons."

The Obama administration's resolution on Syria calls for US action to limit the Syrian government's ability to use chemical weapons.

The US alleges it was forces loyal to Assad which launched a chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus last month which reportedly left hundreds dead.

The Syrian government has denied its involvement.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration's push to get Congressional support has been given a significant piece of backing.

House speaker John Boehner, the leading Republican in the US House of Representatives, says he supports Obama's plan for military action.

"This is something the United States as a country needs to do. I am going to support the president's call for action. I believe my colleagues should support this call for action."

Boehner is also urging his fellow Republican lawmakers to support Obama's resolution currently before Congress.

House minority leader, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, is also in support of military action.

However, both party leaders may face challenges in getting full party support for military action, as a number of anti-war Democrats and spend-thrifty members of the Republican Tea-Party caucus have said they will oppose the resolution.

Meanwhile, the US has conducted a joint missle test with Israel over the Mediterranean.

This move is being viewed as a display of the administration's determination to protect its allies in the region.

However, as the US presses ahead with its plan to punish the Syrian government for its alleged chemical weapons, both Syria and its key ally, Iran are reacting with defiance.

Brigadier General Hossein Salami is the acting commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

"We warn them not to repeat the same mistake. It is a dangerous thing to do. They should not think that Syria is alone in the international community."

Meanwhle, the United Nations has issued another call for unity among the Security Council.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon says the Security Council has to show leadership on Syria.

"Bearing in mind the primary responsibility of the Security Council, I call for its members to unite and develop an appropriate response should the allegations of use prove to be true."

For its part, the Chinese government is on-record saying any action in Syria has to conform to United Nations principles.

For CRI, i am Marc Cavigli .

 

 

Germany may charge 30 Auschwitz Nazi guards

 

Authorities in Germany are suggesting as many as 30 more former guards at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp may face prosecution for facilitating mass murder.

Prosecutors say an investigation into close to 50 former guards at the prison camp has generated enough evidence to lay charges of accessory to murder.

Federal prosecutor Kur Schrimm.

"We could investigate the names of 49 persons who are likely still alive. We have systematically checked these 49 persons during the last six months."

The announcement comes just a day after a 92-year old former SS officer went on trial for the murder of a Dutch resistance fighter 70-years ago.

The 2011 conviction of a former SS guard at Auschwitz of accessory to murder has made it easier for prosecutors to lay charges against former Nazi members and collaborators.

An estimated 1.1-million people were killed at the Auschwitz prison camp from 1940 to 1945 as part of Hitler's policy of creating a pure Arian nation.

The victims at Auschwitz included Jews, Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners and homosexuals.

 

 

Egypt's court sentences 1 Muslim Brotherhood members to life imprisonment

 

A number of members of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood have recieved lengthy prision sentences after being convicted of violent acts against the army last month.

One member of the Brotherhood has been handed a life sentence.

48 members of the organization have been given sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years in prison.

12 others have been aquitted.

The group has been convicted of attacking Egyptian armed forces, as well as setting 3 Coptic Christian churches on fire in the port city of Suez.

The violence broke out after the military broke up the pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins in Cairo last month.

The verdict comes as ousted President Mohamed Morsi faces charges of inciting violence against his opponents.

The Muslim Brotherhood is also facing the possibility of being disbanded as a legal organization by the courts.

 

 

45 killed, 128 wounded in attacks in Iraq

 

There's been another series of bombings in Iraq.

The death toll from the attacks in and around Baghdad has risen to 45.

Close to 130 others have been wounded in the attacks.

The car-bombs have targeted Shiite neighborhoods in the Iraqi capital.

This is the latest in a series of attacks which have been taking place across Iraq over the last few months, in what is being viewed as a growing sectarian struggle reminiscent of 2007.

The UN estimates the death toll from attacks last month in Iraq hit 841.

 

 

Biz Reports

 

 

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday but were far off session highs after top Republicans voiced support for U.S. President Barack Obama's call for military strikes against Syria.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.2 percent.

The S&P 500 gained 0.4 percent.

The Nasdaq jumped 0.6 percent.

In Canada, the S&P/ASX gained 0.1 percent.

European stock markets closed mostly lower after a choppy session on Tuesday.

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.6 percent.

Germany's DAX declined 0.8 percent while the CAC 40 in France closed 0.8 percent lower as well.

 

 

China plans to increase crude oil import quota to independent refineries in 2014

 

The Chinese government is reportedly considering expanding its crude oil imports in the coming year.

It's being reported the government is planning to expand its import quota by at least 10-million tonnes next year.

Qiang Yongchang from Fudan University says this move will require a long term plan to achieve the goal.

"The change will force our state-owned companies to consider different trading measures and to control costs. If there is no more importers and importing channels, such a big demand from domestic oil market will largely affect oil prices."

56-percent of the crude oil consumed in China last year was imported.

This is expected to increase to 65-percent by 2020.

Professor Qiang Yongchang says the move is likely to crank up domestic competition among refiners.

"In the highly controlled market, our consumers have never been paying a lower price for oil, compared to the overseas market."

Currently, 90-percent of the imported crude oil is refined by Sinopec and PetroChina.

Imports to China are forecast to hit 450 million tons per year by 2020.

 

 

Guangdong Free Trade Zone Plan Awaits Assessment

 

Media reports are suggesting the plan for a Guangdong Free Trade Zone is undergoing assessments and will soon be submitted to the State Council for approval.

The Guangdong FTZ will reportedly cover areas including Nansha, Qianhai, Hengqin, and Guangzhou's Baiyun Airport.

The Guangdong FTZ is being designed to try to tighten ties among the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

Observers are suggesting regulatory approvals for the FTZ are expected early next year.

 

 

Losses of Listed Shipping Companies Narrow in 13H1

 

New data show losses in the 14 A-share listed Chinese shipping companies has narrowed through the first half this year.

The losses have come in at 4.5-billion yuan.

This is down more than 3-billion yuan from a year earlier.

But even though the combined losses are narrowing, the number of loss-making shipping companies has increased from 10 to 11 in the same period last year.

The shipping industry here in China has been suffering losses for 5-straight years.

Shipping capacity is reportedly around 35 percent above market demand.

 

 

Microsoft buys Nokia phone unit as it tries to strengthen market position

 

Anchor

Nokia has successfully sold some of its smart phone patents and services to Microsoft for 7.2 billion US dollars.

Timo Ihamoutila is the Chief Financial Officer and Interim President of Nokia.

"Microsoft and Nokia announced that we will enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia's devices and services business, and enter into a related patent licence agreement in a 5.44 billion euro all-cash transaction."

The deal includes 5-billion US dollars for Nokia's Lumia unit and 2.2 billion US dollars for other Nokia patents.

Nokia and Microsoft forged their original partnership two years ago.

Steve Ballmer is Microsoft's CEO.

"Windows phone has grown over 78 percent in the last year and is now clearly the number three offering in the marketplace."

Microsoft says it's hoping the deal will give its windows phone lineup a better position ion the market.

For more on this, CRI's Ben Leung spoke earlier with Ben Cavender, associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.

(BIZ Q&A)

Ben Cavender, associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai, speaking with CRI's Ben Leung.

 

 

U.S. manufacturing sector expands in August

 

Manufacturing activity expanded in the US this past month on the back of increased new orders.

Official data shows the US Purchasing Managers Index has increased to 55.7 in August.

This is up from 55.4 in July.

This marks the fastest pace of US manufacturing growth in some 2-years.

15 of the 18 manufacturing industries in the US are reporting expansion, including the electrical equipment and machinery sectors.

 

 

Global economic growth still sluggish, says OECD

 

The Organziation for Economic Cooperation and Development has issued a new assessment of global growth, suggesting the global economy still hasn't emerged from the 2008 downturn, even though advanced economies have shown signs of recovery.

Still, the OECD does point out major advanced economies such as the US, Japan and the UK have seen stronger than expected growth through the second quarter this year.

Jorgen Elmeskov is the agency's deputy chief economist.

"What we see is continued pretty mediocre growth for the world as a whole but within that, we do see somewhat more robust growth for the advanced economies. I think as regards policy, monetary policy needs to remain very, very accommodating in the advanced economies. And as regards fiscal policy, there have been real improvements in the situation, countries need to soldier on with necessary consolidation but they should not consolidate at a pace that will kill the economies."

However, the OECD is warning emerging economies, such as China, will continue to face difficulties, which will drag down global growth.

The OECD is suggesting China is recovering, and is forecasting full-year growth of 7.4-percent.

 

 

EU economy not out of wood, further integration needed

 

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is warning of an uncertain situation, despite the impending turn-around of the European economy.

Barroso says the EU's economy has shown "modest but encouraging growth."

However, he's cautioning the economy isn't out of the woods yet, and says it's not time to be complacent.

The 0.3-percent quarterly growth through Q2 in the eurozone ended a record-long recession, which lasted four quarters in a row.

Barroso is recommending more European integration in the face of external competition.

 

 

Brazil Industrial Output Falls 2% In July, Worse Than Expected

 

Industrial output in Brazil has dropped more than expected in July.

Official figures show industrial output in Brazil has declined 2 percent on a monthly basis.

This is deeper than the 1.3-percent drop the market had been expecting.

Brazil's industrial output came in up 2.8 percent through the second quarter on an annualized basis.

 

 

Salaries in Japan experiences their longest drop since 2010

 

The latest figures show salaries in Japan have experienced their biggest drop since 2010 through July.

New Japanese figures show regular wages, excluding overtime and bonuses, dropped 0.4% year on year in July.

This makes July the 14th consecutive month of salary declines in Japan.

The Japanese government's fiscal and monetary stimulus plans, dubbed Abenomics, have so far helped weaken the Yen, boost competitiveness and corporate profits.

However, raising incomes and resuscitating domestic demand will also be essential in sustaining Japan's moderate economic recovery.

The new salary figures are expected to have a significant impact on the government's decision next month regarding its future sales-tax plans.

It is feared that setting the sales-tax too high might put an unbearable squeeze on households already suffering higher consumer prices.

 

 

Headline News

 

 

China, Turkmenistan lift bilateral ties to strategic partnership

 

The Chinese government has upgraded its relationship with Turmenistan.

Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkmen counterpart have signed a joint declaration to expand their bilateral ties to a strategic level.

Xi Jinping and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov are suggesting that no matter the changes in the regional situation, the relationship between the two countries remains a foreign policy priority.

China and Turkmenistan set up diplomatic ties in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The two Presidents have also reaffirmed their plans to enhance law enforcement cooperation.

Xi Jinping has made the stop in Turkmenistan as part of his current tour of Central Asia, which will also take him to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Chinese President is also due to make a stop in St. Petersberg, Russia later this week for the G20 Summit.

 

 

U.S. House Speaker backs Obama on Syria

 

US President Barack Obama's push to get Congressional support for military action in Syria has been given a significant piece of backing.

House speaker John Boehner, the leading Republican in the US House of Representatives, says he supports Obama's plan for military action.

Boehner is also urging his fellow Republican lawmakers to support Obama's resolution currently before Congress.

House minority leader, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, is also in support of military action.

However, both party leaders may face challenges in getting full party support for military action, as a number of anti-war Democrats and spend-thrifty members of the Republican Tea-Party movement have said they will oppose the resolution.

 

 

Egypt's court sentences 1 Muslim Brotherhood members to life imprisonment

 

A number of members of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood have recieved lengthy prision sentences after being convicted of violent acts against the army last month.

One member of the Brotherhood has been handed a life sentence.

48 members of the organization have been given sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years in prison.

12 others have been aquitted.

The group has been convicted of attacking Egyptian armed forces, as well as setting 3 Coptic Christian churches on fire in the port city of Suez last month.

The verdict comes as ousted President Mohamed Morsi faces charges of inciting violence against his opponents.

The Muslim Brotherhood is also facing the possibility of being disbanded as a legal organization by the courts.

 

 

China plans to increase crude oil import quota to independent refineries in 2014

 

The Chinese government is reportedly considering expanding its crude oil imports in the coming year.

It's being reported the government is planning to expand its import quota by at least 10-million tonnes next year.

56-percent of the crude oil consumed in China last year was imported.

This is expected to increase to 65-percent by 2020.

Currently, 90-percent of the imported crude oil is refined by Sinopec and PetroChina.

Imports to China are forecast to hit 450 million tons per year by 2020.

 

 

Newspaper Picks

 

 

South China Metropolitan Daily

Rail pioneer facing bribery trial

Summary:

A pioneer of China's high-speed railway technology is accused of receiving bribes of over 47-million yuan, on top of helping contractors gain windfall profits from public money.

Zhang Shuguang, deputy chief engineer with the former Ministry of Railways, has already been sacked from his post.

Yanzhao Metropolitan daily

Aunt gouged boy's eyes

Summary:

Police have determined the aunt of a 6-year-old boy was the one who gouged out his eyes this past month in Shanxi.

The woman committed suicide 6-days after attacking him.

Police have confirmed the boy's DNA has been found on the woman's clothing.

Global Times

China puts teachers' ethics under stricter scrutiny

Summary:

Teachers' professional ethics are being put under stricter scrutiny through a national evaluation system in China.

This follows recent cases of teachers molesting students.

Those who cross a red line will be given a warning, receive a demerit, demoted, removed from their teaching post or dismissed based on the circumstances.

Beijing News

Beijing to clean air through fewer car registrations

Summary:

Beijing authorities are planning to reduce car registrations next year in a bid to clean up the air and ease traffic congestion.

The total number of vehicles in the city will be restricted to around 6 million by the end of 2017.

Would-be car buyers have to take part in a license plate lottery.

Beijing Times

Fish kill in polluted river

Summary:

About 30-thousand kilograms of fish have died in polluted river in Hubei's capital Wuhan.

Farmers along the river have dug deep ditches to bury the dead fish.

The local environment agency has collected water from the river to identify the toxins involved.

China Daily

Fewer Chinese students apply to US graduate schools

Summary:

While fewer Chinese students have applied to US graduate schools this past academic year, more were accepted.

40 percent of all admission offers went to Chinese students.

Shanghai Daily

Child seats to be made compulsory

Summary:

Shanghai lawmakers are working on new rules which will require parents to put children under 4-years old in a car seat.

Less than 1 percent of Chinese parents have child-safety seats in their cars.

More than 18-thousand-500 children below the age of 14 die in traffic accidents in China every year.

 

 

Sports

 

 

Womens rugby in China

 

Anchor

Both the men's and women's Rugby Sevens has wrapped up at the National Games, including a surprising conclusion on the women's side.

CRI's Jordan Lee has more from Shenyang.

Reporter

The Shan Dong women crushed Beijing in the rugby sevens finals at the National Games last night.

Many people predicted a Shan Dong win, but no one expected them to win in the way they did.

After receiving two yellow cards in the second half, the Beijing team was playing two down.

Then in an abrupt show of discontent over a reffing decision, the Beijing squad decided to quit playing entirely.

Shan Dong had the remaining minutes to score try after uncontested try while the Beijing players stood in a tight huddle off to the side.

The final score was a humiliating 71 point loss for Beijing.

Womens rugby is an even newer concept in China than mens rugby. The players competing at the national or international level often have just a couple years experience playing the sport.

23-year-old Cong Yun, one of Liaoning's starting backs, was introduced to the sport her sophomore year of college.

"I joined a college team back then. And I have trained for 2 and half years since I joined the provincial team for this National Games."

One of the reasons womens rugby has struggled to attract players is because there is a social stigma attached to a sport that requires one to tackle, pound, and pummel one's opponent.

That and the prospect of enduring some gruesome injuries.

But there are some Chinese women, who are going against the grain.

Another Liaoning player, Zhang Xue said she doesn't mind a hard hit.

"After all, rugby is not that popular in China and not a lot of people play it. I play it because it has a lot of fun. I began to love it because it is a team sport though the game itself is very firece."

Some of the provincial teams have hired foreign coaches to bring their expertise to the programs.

Former rugby sevens great Thomasi Cama senior has been coaching the Anhui women for two years.

Thomasi's coaching experience includes time spent with the legendary Fiji mens national 15's and 7's squads.

Thomasi said he's seen encouraging progress in womens rugby in China.

"Look at the China rugby now. They are really developing now. They want to make it more up to their level. They want it in the future to become more favored in China.

Attracting future players is another critical component in program development.

But judging by the enthusiasm of some of the young girls who attended the rugby finals yesterday, that shouldn't be a problem.

13 year old, Fa Yu Xin came to watch the finals with her middle school class. She isn't scared of rugby at all. She said she'd even like to play it some day.

"This game is interesting to watch. I don't really understand it, but I really like to watch it."

Even though womens rugby is just getting started in China, the womens national team has already had some measure of international success.

They finished ninth out of 16 in the inaugural womens sevens World Cup in Dubai.

National head coach Zheng Hongjun said now that rugby is an Olympic sport, he has a much larger pool of athletes to choose from.

For CRI, I'm Jordan Lee

 

 

Li Yajun surpasse the women's 53kg class snatch world record

 

In other action from the National Games in Liaoning.

Li Yajun from Guangdong has set a new weightlifting world record in the women's 53-kilogram snatch.

However, the record won't go on the books, as weightlifting's international federation doesn't sanction world records at the National games.

---

Meanwhile, in table tennis,

It is being reported Olympic table tennis champion Guo Yue may have to pull out of the National Games with an injury to her neck.

Guo, who represents Liaoning, fell halfway through her match yesterday, and was unable to finish the match.

If she pulls out, Liaoning won't be allowed to replace the 25-year old.

---

In Badminton,

World champion Lin Dan has led the People's Liberation Army team through to the semifinals of the team event.

The PLA is set to meet Fujian later on this Wednesday, which will pit Lin Dan and Chen Long against one-another.

The two met in the semi-finals of the world Championships last month, with Lin Dan eventually winning.

 

 

Li moved to semi-final at the US Open

 

In Tennis...

Li Na is now through to the semi-finals of the US Open after downing Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the quarter finals.

After taking the first set 6-4, Li Na dropped the 2nd set in a tiebreaker, 7-6.

However, she answered back strongly in the 3rd, hammering the Russian 6-2.

Li Na looks poised to take on Serena Williams in the semi-finals, provided the world number-1 can win her quarter-final match against world number-18 Carla Suarez-Navarro.

On the other side of the draw, world number-2 Victoria Azarenka is through to the quarter-finals after a hard-fought, 3-set victory over Ana Ivanovic.

Azarenka is set to take on unseeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova.

The other semi-final has 10th seeded Italian Roberta Vinci taking on unseeded compatriot Flavia Pennetta.

---

In women's doubles draw,

4th seeded Peng Shuai and Hsieh Suwei from Taiwan will take on 10th seeded Zheng Jie and her Indian partner Sania Mirza in the 3rd round.

This, after Zheng Jie and her partner dumped Jelena Jankovic and her partner in the 2nd round.

---

In the men's singles draw,

2nd seeded Rafael Nadal is through to round-4 after dumping Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1.

"It's not easy to play during these days. Is very uncomfortable. Is very tiring. That's why I felt when I lost the first set, you know, first set was very important in these kind of days.　Then you are in trouble, because physically you can have lower moments in days like today. When you are one set against, you can have a mistake and then lose another set, then the match gets completely crazy and anything can happen, no?"

Nadal is set to battle Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo after he upset Roger Federer in straight-sets on Tuesday.

In other action, France's Richard Gasquet is through to the next round after a 5-set marathon victory over Canadian Milos Raonic.

Gasquet is set to take on fourth seed David Ferrer from Spain, after he made it past Janko Tipsarevic in 4-sets on Tuesday.

 

 

Henrick Stenson wins the Deutche Bank Championship

 

In Golf...

Henrick Stenson has won this year's Deutche Bank Championship.

The Swede has earned a 2-stoke victory, firing a final-round 5-under-66 in Boston.

Stenson finishing the tournament at a record-tying 22-under.

"To be honest I was ripping it when we started up after the rain delay. On the range I was hitting　the ball as good as I had done all week. So I thought here we go, this is nice and obviously I was in the driver's seat, but there was still a lot of holes to play and a lot of guys behind me and I knew they weren't going to back off. So it was, I hit a couple of loose one's there but I kept it all in place, some good two putts and made one or two nice birdies. And of course the bounce back on 17 after missing the approach and then holing the bunker shot. That made it a little bit easier coming up 18."

American Steve Stricker finished second at 20-under.

Canadian Graeme Deleat finished alone in 3rd at minus-18.

 

 

France meet the media ahead of World Cup qualifers

 

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery - recently named Best European player by UEFA - has met with the media ahead of France's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.　

The midfielder will lead the charge against Georgia and Belarus on Friday and next Tuesday respectively.

Ribery says the French side will do everything it can to ensure they qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"I want to carry on playing for the French team and go to Brazil together. Many people dream of playing the World Cup in Brazil. We will do everything we can to get there. It will be tough. But we must act like men, be brave, and play 100 percent to get there."

France currently trails Spain by one point in Group I.

Spain play third placed Finland on Friday.

9 European group winners and the top-8 runners-up will qualify for Brazil.

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

Ang Lee to Chair the Jury of Golden Horse Film Fest

 

Taiwan-born filmmaker Ang Lee has announced he will chair the jury of the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Horse Awards

Lee, who directed films such as last year's Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, is a 2-time Oscar winner.

(life of pi trailer)

3-time Golden Horse winner and filmmaker Johnnie To will participate as a judge on this year's panel.

The festival will open with filmmaker Tsai Ming-Liang's latest film Stray Dogs, which is also in competition for the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.

The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival will take place over 20-days starting November 8th with the Awards Ceremony being held on November 23rd.

 

 

Venice Film Fest; Scarlett Johansson's New Film

 

Award winning US actress Scarlett Johansson has premiered her new film Under the Skin at the 70th Venice Film Festival.

The 28-year-old brought the glamour of Hollywood with her as she walked down the red carpet.

In the new film she appears as an alien on a roadtrip through Scotland who kidnaps hitchhikers and sends them back to her alien compatriots who turn them into food.

Under the Skin is an adaptation of Michel Faber's 2000 novel of the same name.

It is 1 of the 20 films competing for this year's coveted Golden Lion award.

 

 

Prince Releases New Single

 

(prince clip)

US legendary rocker Prince has released his latest single online.

The new track titled Breakfast Can Wait is the most recent release from his new upcoming album Plectrum Electrum.

Though the song leaked earlier this year, it was officially released late yesterday.

The new song accompanies several other singles which have already been released from the new album to entice fans.

Groovy Potential, Extraloveable Reloaded, and Ain't Gonna Miss U When U're Gone were released last May.

The new album is expected to be available sometime soon though no official date has been given.

The artwork for the new single features a picture of comedian Dave Chapelle dressed as Prince from Chapelle's skit show.

Prince has revealed he hopes to play small intimate venues when he goes on tour for the album much like the string of private gatherings he did in the US earlier this year.

 

 

TV Series True Blood Will End Next Summer

 

Cult phenomenon TV show True Blood will end after its 7th season next summer.

(blood clip)

The show explores the co-existence of vampires and humans in a small southern town in Louisiana.

The president of HBO has called the series a defining show for HBO and fans can expect a powerful ending.

The 7th and final season is expected to have 10-episodes.

The series is based on a series of novels by author Charlaine Harris called The Southern Vampire Mysteries.

 

 

Band MGMT Opens Up About New Album

 

Pop-electro turned experimental psychedelic group MGMT have opened up about their 3rd upcoming album claiming they're not sure it's music they'd even want to listen to.

(mgmt clip)

The new self-titled album is set to release later this month and so far the singles sound unlike anything that originally made the band famous.

The group is famous for their poppy hits such as Kids and Electric Feel, but are taking a decidedly different path with their new sound.

MGMT opened up about their decision to take their sound in a new direction after becoming disgruntled with the commercial sensibility of other bands.

They say they do not want to look at their music as a product and talk about it like it's a brand.

MGMT will tour the UK in October, playing 4-dates including a show at London's Forum.